Instructional Objectives:
Students should be able to:
1. Identify a season from the position of the Earth and Sun in a particular picture.
2. Explain that the major reason for seasons is the Earths tilt on it's axis.
3. Comprehend the difference between direct and indirect light and apply why it's important to seasons.
4. Identify and define summer and winter solstice and autumnal and vernal equinox.
Time and Activity:
Day One:
15 min - Introduction: Ask what the students already know about what causes seasons and why. This
allow me a chance to extract prior knowledge along with initiate connections to prior lessons. I will start by asking questions
that get the kids thinking. Such as if we got closer to the sun at some points during the year and farther away at other times
wouldn't the seasons be the same everywhere? Why is it so hot near the equator and so cold at the north and south pole? Can
somebody tell me why at the poles during different times of the year its dark for weeks? These questions are all things I hope
will spark the curiousity of the students.
35 min - Demonstration using a globe and a lamp. Showing the students the four main points of the
Earths orbit during the year. I will ask them how the light differs in the northern and southern
hemispheres of the globe to open up the idea of direct and indirect light. Such questions like this will be
on an overhead so we can answer them as we go. Students will have to make quick drawings of
the four seasons in their scientist notebooks. This way they have the four majors orbit points and a
visual representation.
Day Two:
10 min - Explain what the students will be doing on their poster and what it must contain. Also explain to the
students that they will be explaining to the rest of the class why they chose to do their poster the way that they
did, so they must be experts on their poster and what it means because we may ask them anything about it.
20 min - In groups the students will make a poster representation of one of the four major orbit points.
Each group will be assigned one point by me.
20 min - We will go around the room to each group and they will explain why they have drawn it they way they
and we will hang them up in the room to have the visual representation in the room.
Assignment:
- In groups the student will make a poster representation of one of the four major points of the Earth
orbit around the Sun. This representation should involve the Earth, Sun, the degree of the Earth's tilt,
the path of the light from the Sun to the Earth and whether or not this light is direct or indirect.
Unit: Astronomy
Topic: Seasons
Instructional Objectives:
Students should be able to:
1. Identify a season from the position of the Earth and Sun in a particular picture.
2. Explain that the major reason for seasons is the Earths tilt on it's axis.
3. Comprehend the difference between direct and indirect light and apply why it's important to seasons.
4. Identify and define summer and winter solstice and autumnal and vernal equinox.
Time and Activity:
Day One:
15 min - Introduction: Ask what the students already know about what causes seasons and why. This
allow me a chance to extract prior knowledge along with initiate connections to prior lessons. I will start by asking questions
that get the kids thinking. Such as if we got closer to the sun at some points during the year and farther away at other times
wouldn't the seasons be the same everywhere? Why is it so hot near the equator and so cold at the north and south pole? Can
somebody tell me why at the poles during different times of the year its dark for weeks? These questions are all things I hope
will spark the curiousity of the students.
35 min - Demonstration using a globe and a lamp. Showing the students the four main points of the
Earths orbit during the year. I will ask them how the light differs in the northern and southern
hemispheres of the globe to open up the idea of direct and indirect light. Such questions like this will be
on an overhead so we can answer them as we go. Students will have to make quick drawings of
the four seasons in their scientist notebooks. This way they have the four majors orbit points and a
visual representation.
Day Two:
10 min - Explain what the students will be doing on their poster and what it must contain. Also explain to the
students that they will be explaining to the rest of the class why they chose to do their poster the way that they
did, so they must be experts on their poster and what it means because we may ask them anything about it.
20 min - In groups the students will make a poster representation of one of the four major orbit points.
Each group will be assigned one point by me.
20 min - We will go around the room to each group and they will explain why they have drawn it they way they
and we will hang them up in the room to have the visual representation in the room.
Assignment:
- In groups the student will make a poster representation of one of the four major points of the Earth
orbit around the Sun. This representation should involve the Earth, Sun, the degree of the Earth's tilt,
the path of the light from the Sun to the Earth and whether or not this light is direct or indirect.
Materials:
- Globe
- Lamp
- Poster Paper
- Colored Pencils/Markers/Crayons